There’s an epidemic in the music industry right now. Three major stars are all having throat surgery within weeks of each other. Adele had surgery last Thursday to stop a vocal hemorrhage  – a recurring problem for her that finally cancelled her world tour. Keith Urban just announced he will undergo throat surgery to remove a polyp growing on his vocal cords followed by extended vocal rest.  John Mayer also had surgery recently to remove [...]

Ever wonder why stars get vocal problems? Why they lose their voices after years of being in the business? So do I. It doesn’t have to happen. But what does it take to avoid vocal problems and maintain vocal health? So many are still unaware that there’s another way. Wouldn’t you think they’d  consult the best in the business to keep their voices at their peak? Yeah, me too. And sometimes, even if they do, [...]

Lately in the news, popping up here and there, I’m noticing canceled concerts due to “cold and chest infection” and singers on vocal rest recovering from nodules. This posted on Adele’s site this past week: “WOLVERHAMPTON WOVERSHOWS POSTPONED – It is with regret that due to continuing problems with a serious cold and chest infection, Adele has to postpone her shows this weekend in Wolverhampton on Saturday Sept 10th and Sunday Sept 11th. Her doctors [...]

My life is about coaching artists to become who they were meant to be – and leave the world a better place in their trail…myself included – we teach what we need to learn – period. Funny – I was just talking to one of my artists who resides in Canada today and as I was talking to her I started laughing because I was telling her exactly what someone should be telling me. She [...]

As one of the top vocal coaches in the country, I frequently hear: “What are your top vocal tips for singers?” Well, I could rattle off a long list, and yammer on for hours. (Yeah, I’m a nerd when it comes to vocals…) And I have a long list of favorite tricks up my sleeve over 20+ years of coaching singers…. But I love a challenge – so I pretended that I had only 5 [...]

Are you secretly afraid that you might suck? You’re not alone. Did you know that there are big stars who think they do, too? The good news is that pop music is not rocket science, and it’s not about perfection. It’s about imperfection – that’s what makes it so cool! If you take it too seriously, you’re not cool. It’s about style, using what you have, expressing something you can get behind and being entertaining [...]

Yesterday I had the pleasure of being a guest voice coach on WYNC.org’s Soundcheck hosted by John Schaeffer. We talked about the transitions of young male pop voices and careers in the industry and more specifically Justin Bieber’s current cracks and vocal flub-ups. The truth of the matter is, whether you are a fan of the Bieb or not, he is still a kid at 16 and the pressures in the music business are gianormous. [...]

Singers want to sound good when they sing live. Whether you’re aiming to be a rockstar or diva, or just want to sound better, did you know that with just a few tweaks, you can make significant changes. Here are my singing lesson secrets that I’ve found to make a huge difference for singers when they step on a stage. For each of you, depending on your vocal goals, one or more of these may be your key to transforming your live vocals.

There is nothing like progress in my music that puts a smile on my face faster. I’ve been at this for a very long time, longer than I’d like to admit. I’ve had major ups and major downs, and probably a lot like the rest of you, I was hooked from an early age. Music was always a balm for life, a refuge from the storm, my joie de vivre, and my compass.  Friends and [...]

It wasn’t long ago that I, like you, was pursuing the path of being an artist and carving out my niche and persona on stage. One of the first things I teach my artists after they learn the basic logistics of the stage is how to get comfortable. 7 Ways to Getting Comfortable On Stage 1.   OVER-REHEARSE. The worst is when you can’t relax because you are worried about remembering your lyrics or unsure about [...]